Hillcrest railroad crossing on hold in Encinitas

ENCINITAS -- The city is shelving plans for a pedestrian
undercrossing at the railroad tracks on Hillcrest Drive after
studies revealed the tunnel could flood dangerously during a
rainstorm.

A foot bridge could be a better option, officials said, and the
City Council on Wednesday agreed to hold a workshop within the next
60 to 90 days for residents to weigh in on that idea.

"I want us to have another workshop on this issue," said Deputy
Mayor Jerome Stocks, the city's delegate to the North County
Transit District that owns and maintains the coastal railway.

"What does it cost to build a bridge?" Stocks said. "What could
it look like? It could look great."

The council voted 4-0 to suspend further study of a Hillcrest
undercrossing and to proceed with planning of three other
undercrossings at El Portal, Santa Fe and Montgomery streets.
Councilman Dan Dalager excused himself from the hearing because he
lives near the rail line.

The crossings are estimated to $5.5 million and funding has only
been secured for one at Santa Fe Drive, said Richard Phillips,
assistant to the city manager. A city consultant, Joe Tognoli, told
the council that construction could begin in the summer of 2009 if
planning proceeds as scheduled.

The proposed crossing at Hillcrest would be at about the
midpoint of a 1.5-mile stretch between Leucadia Boulevard and La
Costa Avenue. It would be the only legal way to cross tracks that
are traveled daily by nearly 50 trains.

Residents say the tracks present a kind of invisible barrier
between neighborhoods to the east and the commercial districts and
beach to the west and objected to any plan that would delete the
Hillcrest crossing from consideration.

"Hopefully, my grandchildren will use the underpasses," said
Judy Berlfein, a 20-year resident. "I think it's really, really
important we keep this Hillcrest underpass in the picture and not
let it get lost in the sidelines."

Residents have favored undercrossings over bridges because
bridges could block views.

Stocks noted that a bridge at Hillcrest would not threaten ocean
views because a hill to the west already blocks sightlines toward
the ocean.

To meet construction requirements, however, a bridge would be a
substantial edifice. The clearance from the top of the rails to the
bottom of the structure must be 26 feet, Phillips said, and
approach ramps must climb gradually over hundreds of feet to meet
accessibility requirements for disabled people.

Phillips added that the risk of flooding at a Hillcrest
underpass would come from stormwater west of the railroad. At the
other undercrossings, berms and sump pumps would control those
risks, he said.

Residents said the risk of losing the Hillcrest undercrossing
was unacceptable.

"We fought hard to get this," said activist Rachelle Collier.
"We need a way to get to the beach."

Resident Eric Gilmer told the council that developers of a
nearby housing project should contribute to the cost of the
pedestrian crossing.

"If we need to come up with an alternate solution for the
(Hillcrest) crossing, maybe that's what we need to do," said
Delores Loedel of Hillcrest Drive. "We want a crossing along with
everyone else."